Medical cannabis will soon become the norm in Whitecourt with the upcoming opening of a clinic.

The clinic will be located at the former location of Evermore Artistry and is expected to open in May, seeking to give patients easier access to the product.

Compass Cannabis Clinic is working on opening dozens of clinics throughout Alberta, including the one in Whitecourt. Local entrepreneur Justin Vandenhouten will own the clinic with Mac Sarvas and manage it herself.

"I've always been really, really strongly opinionated on the benefits of medical marijuana," Vandenhouten said. "I was pointed in this direction from my dad, actually, who's been a bit more on the investment side of everything."

Krista Lusted, marketing director with Compass Cannabis, said the clinic would connect patients with doctors who are able to prescribe medical cannabis, which comes from licensed producers across Canada and is mailed to patients in "discrete packaging."

She emphasized that the clinic will not have product on the premises. Minors will also not be allowed inside.

The clinic will instead focus on patient care, education and advocacy. Lusted explained that the clinic could only start dispensing cannabis if Canada legalizes it and would have to become equipped with heightened security measures.

She added that individual clinics would decide themselves whether or not to become dispensaries. Compass Cannabis estimates that legalization will take place in Canada between September 2018 and January 2019.

In terms of education, Lusted said some important points that Compass Cannabis stresses include not driving while impaired and not taking cannabis while pregnant.

While cannabis typically contains psychoactive THC, Lusted noted that some strains only have CBD, providing all the medical benefits without the intoxication.

"There's always a slight resistance from a small group of people who don't necessarily understand the product," she said. "We're trying to overcome that stigma and that comes through patient education."

Compass Cannabis also participated in a panel to answer questions from the public during the Whitecourt and District Chamber of Commerce's Economic Forum on March 8.

One question asked was who would be responsible for dispensing cannabis should the clinic choose to go into that direction. Lusted replied that anyone responsible for dispensing would have to go through a "rigorous training program."

Vandenhouten was then asked if she planned on converting the Whitecourt clinic into a dispensary once the federal government legalized cannabis. She answered that it was something they were looking into.

"Time will tell," Vandenhouten said. "It really depends on the demand. What does Whitecourt want?"